Chemical contaminants in human milk

Jensen, Allan Astrup

doi:10.1007/978-1-4612-5601-4_1

Cited by 258 publications

(203 citation statements)

References 176 publications

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“…y-HCH has the common name lindane and is the most acutely toxic of the isomers (215). The most persistent and bioaccumulating isomer is ,-HCH, which accounts for 90% of the total HCH found in human milk (225). Lindane was reported to have both estrogenic and antiestrogenic effects in female rats (226).…”

Section: Organochlorine Pesticidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Humans are normally exposed to dioxin and furan levels far below those that induce reproductive disorders in animal experiments (206). After the Seveso accident in Italy in 1976 where a factory exploded during the production of 2,4,5-trichlorophenol, TCDD serum levels on a lipid basis ranged from 1770 to 56,660 ppt (ng/kg) in exposed children (283), while the background concentration in human milk fat is approximately 2 ppt (225). No reproductive disorders in adults have been described after the accident (284,285), though the exposed male children have not yet been evaluated.…”

Section: Organochlorine Pesticides and Polychlorinated Biphenylsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Male reproductive health and environmental xenoestrogens.

Toppari

Larsen

Christiansen

et al. 1996

Environ Health Perspect

1,101

567

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Male reproductive health has deteriorated in many countries during the last few decades. In the 1990s, declining semen quality has been reported from Belgium, Denmark, France, and Great Britain. The incidence of testicular cancer has increased during the same time. Incidences of hypospadias and cryptorchidism also appear to be increasing. Similar reproductive problems occur in many wildlife species. There are marked geographic differences in the prevalence of male reproductive disorders. While the reasons for these differences are currently unknown, both clinical and laboratory research suggest that the adverse changes may be inter-related and have a common origin in fetal life or childhood. Exposure of the male fetus to supranormal levels of estrogens, such as diethlylstilbestrol, can result in the above-mentioned reproductive defects. The growing number of reports demonstrating that common environmental contaminants and natural factors possess estrogenic activity presents the working hypothesis that the adverse trends in male reproductive health may be, at least in part, associated with exposure to estrogenic or other hormonally active (e.g., antiandrogenic) environmental chemicals during fetal and childhood development. An extensive research program is needed to understand the extent of the problem, its underlying etiology, and the development of a strategy for prevention and intervention. Environ Health Perspect 104(Suppl 4): 741-803 (1996)

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Section: Organochlorine Pesticidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Organochlorine Pesticides and Polychlorinated Biphenylsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Male reproductive health and environmental xenoestrogens.

Toppari

Larsen

Christiansen

et al. 1996

Environ Health Perspect

1,101

567

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It is common to find PCBs, dioxins, DDT, and a number of other organochlorine pesticides together in human breast milk and adipose tissue (73,74). Of concern for humans, domestic animals, and wildlife are the likely additive effects due to exposure to these and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals either together or at different times in life.…”

Section: Convincing Evidence Exists That a Variety Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These lipidsoluble compounds appear to sequester in alt~fatty tissue in the body, so that organs and tissues with higher fat content hold more of the compounds on a wet weight basis (73). Little is known about the concentrations in embryos and fetuses other than they appear to be similar to those in mothers (73,92.…”

Section: Convincing Evidence Exists That a Variety Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developmental effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in wildlife and humans.

Colborn

Saal

Soto

1993

Environ Health Perspect

2,925

650

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Large numbers and large quantities of endocrine-disrupting chemicals have been released into the environment since World War II. Many of these chemicals can disturb development of the endocrine system and of the organs that respond to endocrine signals in organisms indirectly exposed during prenatal and/or early postnatal life; effects of exposure during development are permanent and irreversible. The risk to the developing organism can also stem from direct exposure of the offspring after birth or hatching. In addition, transgenerational exposure can result from the exposure of the mother to a chemical at any time throughout her life before producing offspring due to persistence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in body fat, which is mobilized during egg laying or pregnancy and lactation. Mechanisms underlying the disruption of the development of vital systems, such as the endocrine, reproductive, and immune systems, are discussed with reference to wildlife, laboratory animals, and humans.

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“…On the other hand, breast milk may be contaminated with marine pollutants (Jensen and Slorach, 1991), some of which are neurotoxic. The human brain is particularly sensitive to toxicity during gestation and infancy (Davidson and Dobbing, 1968), and some seafood contaminants, including methylmercury (Amin-Zaki et al, 1981), have been reported to cause toxic effects in breastfed infants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of breast feeding on neuropsychological development in a community with methylmercury exposure from seafood

Jensen

Grandjean

Jørgensen

et al. 2005

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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Breastfeeding has been associated with an advantage to infant neurobehavioral development, possibly in part due to essential nutrients in breast milk. However, breast milk may be contaminated by environmental neurotoxicants, such as methylmercury. In the Faroe Islands, where maternal consumption of pilot whale may cause transfer of marine toxicants into breast milk, a cohort of 1022 consecutive singleton births was generated during 1986-87. Methylmercury exposure was assessed from mercury concentrations in cord blood and in the hair of the child at age 12 months, and the duration of breastfeeding was recorded. At approximately 7 years of age, 917 (90%) of the children underwent detailed neurobehavioral examination. After adjustment for confounders, breastfeeding was associated with only marginally better neuropsychological performance on most tests. These associations were robust even after adjustment for cord-blood and hair mercury concentration at age 1 year. Thus, in this cohort of children with a relatively high prenatal toxicant exposure and potential exposure to neurotoxicants through breast milk, breastfeeding was associated with less benefits on neurobehavioral development than previously published studies though not associated with a deficit in neuropsychological performance at age 7. Although the advantage may be less, Faroese women can still safely breastfeed their children.

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Chemical contaminants in human milk

Cited by 258 publications

References 176 publications

Male reproductive health and environmental xenoestrogens.

Male reproductive health and environmental xenoestrogens.

Developmental effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in wildlife and humans.

Effects of breast feeding on neuropsychological development in a community with methylmercury exposure from seafood

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